Combined air outlet and illuminating device



Nov. 15, 1960'` F. J. KURTH rAL 2,960,602

COMBINED AIR OUTLET AND'ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed July 2e, 1957 s sheets-sheet 1 Nov. 15,1960 lF. J. KURTH Em 2,960,602

COMBINED AIR OUTLET AND ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed July 26, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS FJ KURTH,

F7 HOA/ERIM Me L. R. PH/LL/Ps, E B. KURTH,

I Ig

Nov. l5, 1960 F. J. KURTH ETAL 2,960,602

COMBINED AIR OUTLET AND ILLUMINATING DEVICE Filed July 26, 1957 s sheets-sheet s WWII/A J /fuR-rH, "115:: o FT HONERKHME b 1.. R. PHILLIPS,

9 F. B. KURTH,

il `1- m ATTORN INVENTO s United States Patent CONIBINED AIR OUTLET AND ILLUMINATING DEVICE Franz J. Kurth, Mamaroneck, N.Y., and Friedrich Honerkamp, West Hartford, Leonard R. Phillips, Bolton, and Franz B. Kurth, Canton, Conn., assignors to Anemostat Corporation of America, New York, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 26, 1957, Ser. No. 674,497

3 Claims. (Cl. 2409) This invention relates to air distribution apparatus, and has particular reference to improvements in outlet devices through which supply air for heating, cooling, Ventilating or other purposes is delivered into rooms or other enclosures.

One object of the invention is to provide an air outlet device which is designed to be mounted in or upon a ceiling or otherwise at an elevation within an enclosure and which includes a pair of supply air diffusers disposed in side to side relationship to each other and constructed so as to direct supply air in downwardly and outwardly divergent directions, thereby to insure delivery of supply air to both s-ides of the enclosure for heating, cooling, Ventilating or other purposes.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air outlet device of the character mentioned which includes means for regulating the relative amounts of supply air delivered through the two difusers so that more or less supply air may be delivered to either side of the enclosure in any instance where such delivery may be desirable.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air outlet device of the character mentioned which includes adjustable means whereby supply air delivered from either of the diifusers may be delivered more toward one end than to-ward `the other end of the enclosure in any instance where such delivery may be desirable.

According to the invention the didusers preferably are of narrow, elongated form so as to deliver supply air throughout a substantial portion of the length of an enclosure. In this connection another object of the invention is to so construct and arrange the means for directing supply air from the difusers to-ward one end or the other of the enclosure that said means may be utilized to equalize flow of supply air from the diifusers throughout the lengths of the diifusers.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air outlet device of the character mentioned which embodies means for illuminating the enclosure which is supplied with air from the device. In this connection another object of the invention is to combine the dilusers and the illuminating means in a simple, practical manner.

A device constructed in accordance with the invention includes a single casing for both the diifusers and the illuminating means` In some instances it may be desirable iirst to mount the causing and thereafter at some suitable time to mount the diiiusers and the illuminating means .in said casing. In this connection another object of the invention is to so construct the casing, the ditfusers ad the illuminating means as to permit the casing iirst to be mounted at any time desired and to permit the diffusers and the illuminating means readily and easily to be mounted in the casing at any subsequent time desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character mentioned which is of simple, compact, practical construction, which may be produced at relatively Ilow cost, which is of attractive appearance, and

2,960,602 Patented Nov. l5, 1960 rire which is efficient in operation, the diifusers being so constructed as to effect aspiration of air from the enclosure and mixture of the aspirated air with the supply air so to permit a considerable temperature differential between the enclosure air and the supply air without subjecting occupants of the enclosure to any sensation of draft.

With the rforegoing and other objects in view, as will become more fully apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same resides in a device embodying the novel features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings and as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts in the different views:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with one practical embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged bottom plan view of a portion of the device.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical, transverse section through the device.

Fig. 4 -is an enlarged central, vertical, longitudinal seotion through the device; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal section taken approximately on the line 5 5 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that a device constructed in accordance with the invention comprises an open-bottom casing, designated generally as A, which is composed of a top wall 10, side walls 11, 11 and end walls 12, 12;. This casing -is formed, preferably, of sheet metal and preferably is of elongated form. It is designed to be mounted in or upon a ceiling or otherwise at an elevation within an enclosure and is divided by a pair of partition elements 13, 13 into a pair of air compartments a, a and an intermediate compartment a', in the bottom portions of the former of which are disposed air diffusers, designated generally as B, B, respectively, and in the latter of which is mounted illuminating means designated generally as C.

The casing A illustrated in the drawings is of a type which is designed to be mounted in the ceiling of an enclosure and to have its bottom disposed substantially ush with the ceiling surface. In the bottom wall e of the ceiling is an opening e Ithrough Wh-ich the casing A is insertable, whi-le at the bottoms of the side and end walls of said casing are outwardly extending anges 1'4 which are engageable with .the top face of the ceiling bottom wall e to hold the side and end portions of said casing against downward movement relative to said ceiling bottom wall e.

The partition elements 13, 13 are suitably fastened at their tops to the top Wall 10' of the casing A, extend longitudinally of said casing from end to end thereof and termil nate at their bottoms at points suitably spaced above the bottom of said casing. At their bottoms said partition elements are provided with outwardly extending, horizontally disposed flanges 15, 15.

The air diffusers B, B are reversed or right and left hand duplicates of each other and each is composed of inner and outer side walls 16 and 17, respectively, and a plurality of intermediate, air deflecting vanes 18. Said diffusers are of narrow, elongated form, extend from end to end of the air compartments a, a, respectively, and have extending inwardly from their inner side walls 16 anges 19 which are engaged behind or above the flanges 15, 15, respectively, of the partition elements 13, 13, whereby said diusers are supported at their inner sides against downward movement relative to the casing A.

Fastened to the partition elements 13, 13 are spring clips 20 which are spaced above the flanges 15 and which engage the tops of the flanges 19 when the latter are engaged with said flanges 15. Thereby the diffusers B, B are held at their inner sides against upward or rearward movement relative to the casing A.

An elongated, rectangular, marginal finishing frame D for the casing A includes side and end portions 21 and 22, respectively, underlying the ceiling bottom wall e, end flanges 23 rising from the end portions 22 into the casing A and disposed against the end walls 12, 12 of said casing, and side flanges 24 extending inwardly from the side portions 21 and engaged against flanges 25 extending inwardly from the casing side walls 11, 11 near the bottoms thereof.

The outer side walls 17 of the dfusers B are inclined downwardly and outwardly and are engaged against the front faces of the side flanges 24 of the finishing frame D. Screws 26 extend through the diffuser outer side walls 17 and the side flanges 24 of the finishing frame D and are threaded into the flanges 25 whereby the finishing frame D is effectively secured in place covering the ceiling opening e' and whereby also the difusers B are securely fastened at their outer sides to the side walls of the casing A.

Connected with the air compartments a, a through openings 27 in one of the end walls 12 of the casing A are ducts 28 through which air for heating, cooling, Ventilating or other purposes is supplied to said compartments. Dampcrs 29 in said ducts are adjustable to regulate the rate of llow of air to said compartments.

The diffusers B are open at their tops for flow of air into the same from the compartments a. Moreover, the vanes 18 are spaced apart, extend from end to end of said diffusers and at least the outer of them are inclined downwardly and outwardly to effect downward and outward deflection of air flowing through the passageways between them. In other words, air from the two diffusers B, B flows, generally speaking, in downwardly and outwardly divergent directions.

Extending from the inner side wall 16 of each of the diffusers B is a baille plate 30 which is disposed in overlying, spaced relationship to the air passageway between said .inner side wall and the adjacent dellector vane 18 and which serves to prevent supply air from flowing through said air passageway. As a consequence, supply air flowing through the other passageways between the vanes 18 produces aspiration in the first mentioned passageway of each diffuser and thereby causes a considerable amount of enclosure air to be drawn into each diffuser and to be mixed with the supply air flowing therethrough into the enclosure. This mixing of enclosure air with the supply air tempers the latter and thereby permits a relatively wide temperature differential between the supply air and the enclosure air without subjecting occupants of the enclosure to any sensation of draft or other discomfort.

Mounted at the top of each of the air dilfuscrs B is a series of vanes 31 which extend transversely in spaced apart relationship to each other between a pair of side walls 32 fastened to the diffuser side walls 16 and l17 and which are pivoted to said side walls 32 so that they may be adjusted either to equalize flow of supply air through each diffuser from end to end thereof or to direct supply air from either diffuser more toward and beyond one end thereof than toward lthe other end thereof in any instance where that may be desired. In this connection it will be apparent that by means of the dampers 29 the rates of flow of supply air through the respective difusers B, B may be regulated so that more or less air may be delivered to either diffuser than to the other so as to supply more or less air to one side than to the other side of an enclosure in any instance where that may be desired.

Extending between and fastened at their ends to the partition elements 13, 13 are bars 33 which serve to stiften said partition elements .as well as lto provide .supports .for

the illuminating means C and for a light reflector designated generally as E.

The light reflector E is formed preferably from sheet metal, extends from end to end of the casing A and, generally speaking, is of inverted U-shape in cross section. It is composed of a top wall 34 and side walls 35 and is removably mounted in the intermediate compartment a by having its top wall 34 engaged against and fastened to certain of the bars 33 by screws 36.

While the illuminating means C may be 0f any suitable type, it is illustrated in the drawings as comprising a pair of gas containing glow tubes 37 disposed within and extending longitudinally of the reflector E and mounted at their ends in fixtures 38 fastened to and depending from certain of the bars 33. Said illuminating means further comprises a ballast unit 39 and starter elements 40, the former of which may conveniently be mounted upon the casing top wall 10, as shown, and the latter of which may conveniently be mounted on the bars 33 to which the fixtures 38 are fastened. The top wall of the reflector E is, of course, provided with suitable openings through which the fixtures 3S and the starter elements 40 extend into said reflector.

At the bottoms of the reflector side walls 35 are inwardly extending flanges 41 upon which are supported the side marginal portions of a light diffuser F which extends from side to side and from end to end of the reflector E. While this light diffuser F may be of any suitable type, it preferably is of the sheet metal, honey comb type illustrated which shields the tubes 37 from view without seriously obstructing passage of light from said tubes to the enclosure space below the device.

Fastened to the side walls 3S of the reflector E above the flanges 41 are spring clips 42 which engage the tops of the side marginal portions of the light diffuser F and serve to hold said diffuser firmly engaged with said flanges 41.

Below the light diffuser F is a series of vertically disposed, spaced apart vanes 43 which extend longitudinally of the casing A from end to end thereof and which serve to augment the light diffuser F in shielding the light tubes 37 from view as well as to enhance the attractive appearance of the botom of the device by simulating, between the air diffusers B, B, the general appearance of the bottoms of said diffusers.

The vanes 43 are maintained spaced apart by sleeves 44 interposed between them and are secured together in unitary assembly by bolts 45 which extend through said sleeves and said vanes.

The two outermost vanes 43 are provided at their tops with outwardly extending flanges 46 which underlie the flanges 41 of the reflector side walls and are fastened to said flanges 41 by screws 47.

As will be apparent, the construction of the present device is such as to permit the casing A first to be mounted in or upon or adjacent to a ceiling at any desired time, and to permit the parts contained in said casing readily and easily to be mounted therein at any desired subsequent time.

Assuming the casing A to be mounted in a ceiling as shown and to contain only the fixtures 38, ballast unit 39 and the starters 40, the reflector E may readily be inserted into the compartment a and fastened therein by the screws 34. The lamps 37 then may readily and easily be mounted in the fixtures 38. The light diffuser F then may readily and easily be inserted between the flanges 41 and the spring clips 42 and thereafter the unit comprising the vanes 43 may readily and easily be fastened beneath the light diffuser by the screws 47. Either before or after the foregoing parts are mounted in the casing A, the air diflusers B, B may be mounted inthe bottoms of the compartments a simply by engaging the flanges 19 between the flanges 1'5 and the spring clips .20 and by then fastening the outer side walls 17 of said diffusers to .the flanges 25 by means of the screws 26.

Obviously, by reversing the described assembly process, access may readily be had to any part of the casing A for any desired purpose.

From the foregoing description considered in connection with the accompanying drawings it is believed that the construction of the present device will be clearly understood and that its advantages will be appreciated. It is desired to point out, however, that while only a single specific structural embodiment of the device has been illustrated and described, the same is readily capable of various other specifically different structural embodiments within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

We claim:

1. In a combined air outlet and illuminating device, an elongated open-bottom casing having oppositely disposed side and end walls, a pair of spaced apart partition elements extending longitudinally within said casing and deiining a separate intermediate open-bottom illuminating compartment, each of said partition elements being spaced from the side wall of said casing adjacent thereto to dene separate open-bottom air compartments, anges extending inwardly from the bottoms of said casing side walls, companion flanges extending outwardly from the bottoms of said partition elements, a removable unitary air diuser having an inlet and outlet opening disposed within each of said air compartments, means for releasably attaching said dilusers to said anges with said inlets disposed within said separate air compartments and said outlets disposed adjacent the bottom of said casing, means for supplying air to each of said air compartments for delivery through said difrusers, a plurality of adjustable air control vanes mounted in the inlet opening of said dilusers to regulate the distribution of supply air from said air compartments into said diffusers, deecting vanes in the bottom outlet openings of said diiusers, means within each of said diffusers positioned over at least one of said deector vanes to create a negative air pressure and encourage induction of enclosure air with the supply air passing through said diffusers, and illuminating means in said separate illuminating compartment.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the means within each of said dilusers for causing induction of the enclosure air with the supply air comprises, a barile plate extending the length of said difruser and projecting over at least one of said detlecting vanes to prevent the passage of air directly below the bafe, whereby the passage of air around said bafe and between the other of said deecting vanes creates a negative pressure below said baffle to induce enclosure air to enter said diffuser for admixture with said supply air.

3. ln a combined air outlet and illuminating device, an elongated open-bottom casing having oppositely disposed side and end walls, a pair of spaced apart partition elements extending longitudinally within said casing and defining a separate intermediate open-bottom illuminating compartment, each of said partition elements being spaced from the side wall of said casing adjacent thereto to dene separate open-bottom air compartments, a unitary air diffuser releasably mounted in the bottom of each of said air compartments, means for supplying air to each of said air compartments for delivery through said diffusers, a light reflector mounted in said intermediate illuminating compartment, means for detachably mounting said light reflector within said separate illuminating compartment, said light reflector including side walls disposed substantially parallel with said partition elements and having inwardly directed anges at the bottom thereof, spring clips fastened to said reector side walls and extending inwardly therefrom above and in spaced relationship to said flanges, a light diffusing grille at the bottom of said intermediate compartment marginally confined between said flanges and said spring clips, and illuminating means mounted in said separate intermediate illuminating compartment and having illuminating elements disposed within the connes of said light reector.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,165,593 Ver Meulen et al. July 11, 1939 2,189,008 Kurth Feb. 6, 1940 2,209,887 Kurth July 30, 1940 2,210,589 Kurth Aug. 6, 1940 2,365,614 Winkler et a1. Dec. 19, 1944 2,396,025 Seid Mar. 5, 1946 2,403,291 Kurth July 2, 1946 2,564,334 Kennedy Aug. 14, 1951 2,807,993 Ericson Oct. 1, 1957 2,845,855 Burns Aug. 5, 1958 2,872,858 Caldwell Feb. 10, 1959 

